Clockwork King
by Lauren Ballard
Summary: A continuation of Clockwork Prince. Tessa is captured by the Magister in an ingenious plan that ensures no rescue. Will she find out what she is and stop Mortmain before it is too late? [DISCONTINUED]
1. Chapter One

**Hi! :) I recently read Clockwork Prince and LOVED it! I can't wait for Clockwork Princess, so I'm going to carry it on by myself. :) Just some fun, an alternate ending I guess. I haven't said who the pairing his because I actually can't decide between Jem and Will :) I do not own the Infernal Devices or characters. Enjoy!**

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><p>It was a chilly evening in London, and Tessa Gray stood on the bridge with her fiancé, James – Jem – Carstairs. It was nice to have some time alone, to escape the tortured look in Will Herondale's eyes when he saw them together.<p>

The couple were laughing quietly on something that Jem had said, their arms linked as they stopped to stare out at the river Thames.

"What a beautiful sight." Tessa sighed, leaning against Jem as she looked up at the full moon. He murmured something in agreement, gently placing an arm around her shoulders.

"Let us hope that we avoid werewolves tonight." He joked. Tessa drew back, her eyes wide. She still wasn't wholly familiar with the ways of the Downworlders and Shadowhunters, and was very gullible on the matter. Will liked to tease her about it constantly.

"Werewolves?" she said, glancing around nervously. Jem chuckled, smiling warmly. "Do they change only on a full moon?" She didn't seem fully convinced, but frightened all the same.

"No, I was only joking." He said, trying to suppress a laugh as she glared at him playfully through her large, grey eyes.

"Well it certainly was not funny," Tessa folded her arms across her chest, staring out at the water. "You very nearly gave me a heart-attack!" To this Jem laughed again, and Tessa could not help but smile.

She took his hand again, and began to continue their walk across the bridge. She tried to block out the memory of walking on a bridge similar to this with Jem, when they were attacked by Mortmain's automatons. Jem felt her stiffen beside him and stopped walking, frowning with worry.

"Tessa? Are you alright?" he asked her. She nodded, and gave him a smile.

"I am fine. I was just reminded of Blackfriars Bridge." She explained.

"Perhaps we shouldn't be out so late, if it makes you feel uncomfortable." _Oh, Jem. Always worrying. _

"No, no. I'm fine, really." Tessa smiled. She really did. Ever since Charlotte was able to keep the Institute, Nate died, and Benedict was exposed – to the Institute, at least – Tessa and the other suspected that Mortmain would be lying low, conjuring up a new plan.

They weren't sure, of course. Mortmain was a cunning man, and just might have a back-up plan. The Shadowhunters were still on alert and searching for the Magister, but Tessa felt safe leaving the Institute with Jem. He still carried around his walking stick with the dragon's head, which she knew revealed a blade when a hidden button was pressed.

"Alright." He surrendered, trying to find a new topic. An idea struck him, and he grinned.

"Have you been thinking about the wedding?" he asked Tessa, who looked at him with a matching smile.

"Of course!" she said. "Although admittedly it has been rather difficult to plan it all. Especially since I do not know what kind of wedding it will be." She bit her lip.

"Whatever you want it to be." Jem told her encouragingly. He didn't want her to worry about the fact that he was a Shadowhunter and she was not. In fact, she didn't even _know _what she was. Nor did anyone else but Mortmain. He had 'created' her.

Tessa nodded, mentally still worrying. She wanted everything to be perfect for her and Jem.

**. . .**

"...Impossible!" Tessa heard Will's voice echo through the corridor. It was the morning after her walk with Jem, and already something terrible had happened. She just didn't know what – _yet._

"It had to be someone in the Institute." Will spoke loudly again. Filled with curiosity, Tessa stepped out of her room, dressed for the day in a simple blue gown. Her hair was tied in a neat bun with tendrils of her dark hair slipping down to rest on her left shoulder. Sophie had placed a few small blue flowers in her bun after completing, and Tessa couldn't help but think that they reminded her of Will's eyes.

Jem's room was only a few doors down from her own, and easy to reach. She knocked gently three times on the door, waiting patiently for it to be opened. As expected, Will opened the door, looking surprised to see her.

"Tessa." He greeted her. "Did you hear my racket?" he smiled.

"I did. Has something happened?" she asked. Jem appeared behind Will, his eyes red and dark bags hanging under them.

"It appears," he said. "That I have been...Robbed."

"Robbed?" Tessa frowned. Jem gestured for her to enter, and Will stepped aside, allowing her to walk past. It was still a small space, and she flinched from his warm breath on her neck.

Jem's room looked perfectly normal, his bed made and his desk neatly organised. The blinds were opened, allowing light to stream into the room. She was about to ask her fiancé exactly what had been stolen, but he opened the small box in which he kept his _yin fen_, the drug that sustained his life. Inside was a small pouch tied with a blood red ribbon.

"That is all that's left." Will explained, although Tessa had come to that conclusion by herself. "The rest has been taken." She gasped, putting her hand over her mouth and shooting Jem a worried glance.

"Who would do this?" she whispered in horror. The contents of the small pouch looked like it was enough to last about two weeks, no more. Yet again, they seemed to have a two-week deadline.

"Will thinks it was someone in the Institute." Jem suggested. Tessa turned on Will.

"That's impossible!" she insisted.

"Is it? If you haven't noticed, we have had quite a few newcomers. Agatha, Cyril, Gideon..." he paused. "Cecily." Tessa's eyes widened.

"I am sure Cyril and Gideon would never do such a thing. Agatha has a disturbing mind, indeed, but I doubt she even knows of Jem's need for it!" Tessa took a breath. "And Cecily – she is your own sister." She calmed herself, facing Will's glare.

"That does not make her any more trustworthy. If anyone, you should be the one to know about sibling betrayal." He said. For a moment she was furious. _I never betrayed Nate! _But she quickly reminded herself that he worked with Mortmain.

"You know Cecily, Will. More than anyone else here. Do _you _think she did this?" Tessa asked, taking a deep breath. Will was silent, fighting a mental battle. Jem stood beside him, watching closely. All eyes were on him.

Instead of speaking, he stormed out of the room. He didn't seem very angry, and even his _parabati _looked surprised as Will's sudden departure. They hurried after him, Tessa lifting up her skirts so that she could jog alongside Jem.

They followed Will to Cecily's room, where she had been staying for only a few days. Charlotte had accepted the young girl immediately – much to Will's odd protest – and settled her in. She had not begun training yet, but was due to join Tessa and Sophie with Gideon in a few days' time.

She found in incredulous that Will could blame his young sister for taking Jem's medication, but did not speak a word as they approached Cecily's room.

"Will!" She said happily, glancing at Tessa and Jem with a frown.

"Hello, Cily." He called her by the nickname Tessa had heard a few times before. It sounded like 'silly', and she knew Will probably did it to annoy his sister.

"You know I hate it when you call me that, Willy." She grinned, using her own nickname for him. Will turned serious.

"Cecily, may I talk with you in private?" he asked, aware of Jem and Tessa behind him. Cecily accepted, although it was clear that the sentence was meant for them as well.

"Come on." Jem whispered, taking Tessa's hand. She nodded and let him lead her down the hallway.

"Have you told Charlotte?" she inquired.

"No. But I doubt she knows anything about it. If she had taken it for whatever reason, she would tell me first." He paused, thinking. "And whoever left the pouch made it very obvious that they'd taken some of the _yin fen. _There are a million ways they could have taken some without me noticing."

"Perhaps they were leaving you some sort of message." Tessa suggested, sick to her stomach at the thought of an enemy freely sneaking into the Institute.

"I think they only wanted to scare us." Jem said softly. "To intimidate us."

They were silent as they walked, hand in hand, to the dining hall. Charlotte, Henry, Gideon and Sophie were already seated. Agatha's miserable ballad drifted from the kitchen, her Irish accent disguising some words.

They sat, and Jem explained to Charlotte and Henry what had happened in a hushed tone, making sure that Gideon did not overhear. Even Sophie knew very little about his illness.

Breakfast passed quickly, the only conversation revolving about the disappearance of the _yin fen_. Sophie and Gideon were excluded, but seemed happy about it.

Will and Cecily were absent, which seemed odd. After all, Will was only asking a did-you-or-did-you-not question.

The entire day passed somewhat like the morning. Gideon and Sophie went out, but everyone else stayed inside. Will appeared infrequently, talking to everyone he thought was a 'suspect'. Tessa did not get any wedding planning done, but she was glad to take a break from it. She trained briefly with Gideon, Sophie, and Cecily. Cecily was red-eyed and quiet, but Tessa didn't ask her about it. Instead, she caught Will on her way to her room after their evening meal.

"Will!" she called, hurrying to catch up with him. He slowed, glancing at her.

"Yes?"

"What did you say to Cecily?" she demanded. "She looks as if she has been crying."

"That's none of your business." Will said in a cold, clipped tone.

"Perhaps not, but I cannot let you -" she struggled for the right word. "_Bully _her." He began to walk faster, deserting her.

"William!" she called. "I am speaking to you!" he turned briefly, with no trace of anger on his face.

"I told her to go home." He admitted. "Back to my parents." Tessa was shocked. Why would he do that?  
>"What? Why?"<p>

"My parents have already lost Ella and me," he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "They cannot lose her, as well."

Tessa opened her mouth to speak, but could not think of anything to say. Taking the opportunity, Will stormed away, disappearing quickly into the maze of the Institute.

**. . .**

Back at her room, Tessa changed into her nightgown without aid from Sophie, carefully taking the flowers from her hair. She shook her brown hair loose, pulling it behind her ears. She slumped down on her bed, exhausted despite staying indoors all day. Her limbs were sore from training, no matter how short it had been, and her mind swam with worry for Jem. She felt something digging into her chest and sat up, feeling around on her soft mattress until she found an envelope. She frowned, not recognising the handwriting.

_Theresa Gray _was written in an elegant, spidery hand in the middle, in blue ink. Neatly she opened it, pulling out the piece of folded paper inside. She unfolded it, holding it nearer to the light so that she could read it.

_Miss Gray,_

_If you would like for the return of James Carstairs' _yin fen_, you must do precisely what I ask._

_On the fourteenth, in two days' time, go to the warehouse where Nathaniel was killed. Come alone, or Mr Carstairs will die. Do not speak of this letter or our meeting to _anyone_, or the consequences will be severe - for them. You ought to know by now, we have another ally within the Institute, and they will know if word of this letter escapes. I hope to see you soon._

**_Axel Mortmain_**

Gasping, Tessa dropped the letter, her whole body shaking. Even through her terror, her mind was made up. In two days, she would hand herself over to Mortmain.

_Please forgive me, Jem. _

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><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed! Please review! :D<strong>


	2. Chapter Two

**Hi! Thanks for all the great reviews! :) I worked fast to post this next chapter, so excuse me if it's rushed. I hope you enjoy it! :)**

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><p>Tessa was on edge for the entire next day, avoiding Jem. Surely seeing him would bring tears to her eyes. And Will. They had both done so much to keep her safe from Mortmain, but now she was going to just give herself over to him. <em>Will will understand. <em>She thought. He was the one person on the planet that cared as much for Jem as Tessa did.

Immediately after a quiet breakfast, she changed into her gear and headed off to training. Surprisingly, Cyril was there with Gideon.

"Good morning, Miss Gray." He greeted her. She smiled back.

"Good morning, Cyril. Will you be joining our lesson?" she asked. She'd thought that Cyril was already trained. Gideon grinned, stepping forward.

"Actually, he is going to help me train you all. Without Gabriel," his expression darkened at his brother's name. "I need some help." His smile returned, and Tessa could easily guess which of the three girls he would be training. Sophie and Cecily arrived just moments later, both dressed in their own gear.

"Right. Miss Gray and Miss Herondale, you will train with Cyril. Miss Collins, you will be training with me." No one protested, especially not Sophie, who blushed.

"Today we will be practicing evasive actions." Cyril smiled, and Tessa couldn't help being reminded of Thomas.

"Which is just a fancy word for dodging." He explained with a laugh. She smiled, and saw Cecily grin as well. The younger girl seemed to enjoy the Institute, but not when Will was around. She tried to be nice to him, but got only pressure to return home.

"I am not a quick one, so I will attack, and you'll dodge. Miss Herondale, would you like to go first?" She nodded eagerly. And so it began. Two hours they trained evading and escaping, Tessa and Cecily taking turns avoiding Cyril's half-hearted attacks. Cecily was much smaller than Tessa and light on her feet. She slipped away from Cyril every time, whereas Tessa was struck by imaginary blows.

"Before we finish up, I'm going to teach you how to escape surprise attackers." He said. "It will be extremely useful in the future, even against ordinary criminals." After some instruction, the girls took turns. When it was Tessa's turn, Cyril held her arms tightly behind her back and told her to begin. First, she tried kicking behind her, hitting his kneecaps.

At first Cyril held steady, but after kicking slightly lower his leg buckled and Tessa threw herself back against him, knocking him off balance. He released her, grinning.

"Well done, both of you." He rubbed his knees where the Cecily and Tessa had attacked. "I'll see you -" Cyril was cut off by a squeal from Sophie. Tessa turned to see that she and Gideon were still practicing escaping. Gideon had been holding her from behind, and she managed to break free.

As soon as she did, his hands snapped out and took her wrists, pulling her close. His mouth descended on hers in a kiss, and Tessa felt as if she were intruding on their private moment. Sophie was first to pull away, her cheeks burning red as she saw Tessa, Cyril, and Cecily watching.

"I -" she stopped, unsure of what to say. Tessa smiled warmly, trying to show Sophie that she'd done nothing wrong.

"Come along, Miss Gray, Miss Herondale." Cyril said, trying not to smile. He ushered them out of the training room, leaving Gideon and Sophie alone.

**. . .**

That night, Tessa missed their evening meal in an attempt to avoid Jem.

She should have known that was impossible.

Sitting in the library, she yawned and closed her book, standing and stretching. She placed the book back on the shelf after hunting for the right place, and began walking back to her room. She tried to creep past Jem's room, but he stepped out just as she passed.

"Tessa?" she turned, forcing a smile as she saw him.

"Good evening, Jem." She greeted him. He smiled.

"I didn't see you at supper." She shrugged, telling him that she wasn't very hungry. He frowned. "Is there something wrong?" he asked her, seeing through her facade.

"Of course not." Her voice cracked. She cleared her throat, trying to keep her smile.

"Tess," he was serious now, taking her hand. "You can tell me anything, you know that."

"I know." She swallowed. "Good night, Jem." She hurried past him and into her room, ignoring his call. She shut the door and locked it as soon as she was inside, sitting with her back against the door. Finally alone, she began to weep. The Magister was probably going to kill her when he was finished with her, and she would never see Jem again.

**. . .**

From outside of Tessa's bedroom, Jem heard her crying softly. It broke his heart to know that something was wrong and she wasn't telling him. He knocked on the door twice, and heard Tessa go silent. Her breathing told him of her presence behind the door, but she wasn't letting him in.

"Tessa?" he called. He had a frightening feeling that the reason she was upset was him. _Perhaps she's frightened that I am going to die_. Sighing in defeat, he walked back to his room, opening the box of _yin fen_. He glared at the little pouch. He didn't need any at that moment, but worried about when he _did _need some. What would happen if he ran out?

Surely, whoever did this would have made it impossible for him to obtain it any other way. But he knew that Will would still try and buy more. Silently, he prayed. Something he'd never done before. He prayed that he would survive, at least long enough to marry Tessa.

**. . .**

Tessa stayed in her room for most of the next day, attempting to write a letter.

Her wastebasket was already filling with crumpled paper, and she re-read her fifth attempt.

_Dearest Jem,_

_Please understand how sorry I am for leaving you. But I must, for reasons I cannot tell you. By the time you read this, I will be gone already, and I cannot return, nor can you bring me back. I love you more than anything, and I hope that you will forgive me. I know I shall never be able to marry you, but if I am to die, I would like to be remembered as your wife. Theresa Carstairs. I am sorry for the consequences that my actions might bring upon you, and I hope to see you in another life. _

_Forever yours,_

_Tessa_

She wiped at the tears in her eyes, folding the letter. It would have to do. She'd already written her letter for Will, and glanced through it.

_Will,_

_I am sorry for all the pain you have suffered through in your life. I hope that someday you will find someone to make you happy. Take care of Jem for me._

_Tessa_

She kept her letter to Will short, scared that anything more that she wrote would betray her feelings for him. Yes, she still had feelings for him. They were undeniable, although she was sure she loved Jem more. She could never hate him – especially not after he told her about his 'curse'. She had cried the night he told her, imagining what he must have gone through. She ripped the letter apart, dumping it in her wastebasket.

_I'll talk to him. _She decided. _I'll tell him my goodbyes later. _

Tessa stood and walked over to the mirror, the wood planks creaking on the floor below. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, examining herself. The shape of her light blue dress was plain but tight at the waist with a high neck to conceal her angel. The sleeves were double-puffed with a frilled edge, stopping just below her elbows.

The dress fell to the floor, but it was one of the shortest that she owned. After previous struggles of running with a long dress, she had wanted something that she could move easily in. There was no corset to wriggle into, but a waistband that buckled at the back. It didn't weigh much, and concealed Tessa's trousers and boots.

With Sophie's help, she had pulled her hair up into a tight bun above her, refusing to adorn it with any flowers or decorations.

In the pocket of her trousers she had put a small dagger, hoping that it would not be found. She wore no jewellery other than her angel, which she felt ticking against her chest. Once she decided that she was ready, she stepped out of her room, clutching Jem's letter in her shaking fingers. After checking that no one was in the hallway, Tessa almost sprinted to the library, slowing into a walk when she entered.

She knew the book she wanted, but it was just a matter of finding it. She walked down the aisle, running her fingertips over the spines of different books. She found the correct book quite quickly, pulling it out. It was a poetry book, filled with love poems. Tessa knew that Jem hated poetry, but he knew that she loved it. She flicked through the pages for a moment before finding the correct poem, slipping the letter into the book at that page. She gently slid the book back into the shelf.

"What _are _you doing?" Will's voice made Tessa gasp and jump, whirling to see him at the end of the aisle.

"Will," she sighed. "You frightened me." He smirked, walking up to her. He glanced at the book she'd placed the note in.

"You didn't answer my question." He said, his smirk fading when he saw what the book was called. Tessa racked her mind for an excuse.

"Uh...I...It is none of your business." She said. He rolled his eyes as her, pulling the book out. She snatched it away before he could open it.

"Hey!" he complained.

"I was going to read this." She told him, keeping her chin high. He cocked his head to the side.

"It didn't look like you were going to read it when you _put it back_." He countered. Tessa was again at a loss for words, and looked away, beginning to babble.

"Well – well I do not intend to read it immediately, I have other books to read, but I – uh – I was simply trying to memorise the title so that I may read it another time." She smiled at her excuse. Will reached for the book again.

"Then I suppose you will not mind if _I _read it while you are reading your 'other books'?" he grinned. Tessa stepped back, putting the book behind her back.

"I change my mind. I shall read it now." She said, still holding it behind her back. Will sighed.

"I give up." He shrugged. "You win." Tessa sighed in relief, but still held onto the book. She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was five minutes to midday, when she would set off. Although it would be easiest to sneak out during the night, Tessa didn't feel comfortable travelling through London alone at night, with no one knowing where she was.

"I wanted to talk to you, actually." She swallowed down the lump in her throat.

"Oh? I thought we were already talking." He smiled.

"We are. And I suppose I'll say it now, as I have to go fetch something from the shops soon." She took a deep breath, trying not to sound like she was saying goodbye. "I wanted to say thank you. For everything. You have saved my life countless times, and have been a good friend to me."

Will snorted. "We both know that last part isn't true." Tessa laughed.

"Your right. But I have forgiven you for...Acting the way you did. But now I understand why." Her tone became serious. "I wish you all the best in your future." _Is that all you can come up with? _Her mind taunted.

"Uh..." Will seemed confused. "Thank you?" Tessa smiled. She wanted to kiss him, there and then, and it took all of her willpower to hold herself back. _I am engaged. I cannot mislead him_. She felt a tear well up in her eye, and coughed for an excuse to wipe it.

"Tessa, are you alright?" he asked, frowning with worry.

"I am fine. But I really must leave now." Unexpectedly, she pulled him into a hug, holding him tightly. "Goodbye. I shall see you later on." Before he could respond, Tessa pulled away and hurried out of the library, leaving Will shocked and confused.

**. . .**

There was one thing Tessa had to do before she left.

She knocked on Jem's door, waiting patiently. He opened immediately, smiling when he saw Tessa.

"Good morning, Tessa." He checked his pocket watch. "Or is it afternoon already?"

Tessa laughed. "I assure you, it is still morning." She held out the poetry book she'd been carrying. "I thought you might like to read this. Don't worry – it's not as terrible as the title makes it seem." Jem laughed, taking it and glancing once at the cover.

"Thank you. I will read it as soon as I get the chance." _You'd better. _

"Well, I just wanted to drop that off. I am off to pick something up at the shops." She explained, smiling still.

"Oh. May I come along?" Jem asked.

"No." Tessa replied too quickly. Suspicion showed in his expression. "I mean, I am just picking up a...a hat from a shop. It should be ready." Jem didn't believe her, but accepted that he couldn't go with her.

He nodded. "When do you think you will return?"

_Never_. "Oh, maybe an hour. I am sure you can find something to do or read while I am gone." She smiled. Jem almost laughed, holding up the poetry book.

"Yes, I suppose I can have a read." He said. Tessa stretched up on her toes to give him a quick kiss.

"Goodbye." She said, feeling the threat of the tears again.

"I'll see you soon." He was stopped smiling as soon as she turned away and started walking down the hallway. He grabbed his walking stick and counted a minute before hurrying after his fiancée, knowing it was wrong. Would she trust him if she discovered that he was following her? But something was definitely wrong.

He knew Tessa well enough to sense that. Jem highly doubted that Tessa was picking up a hat. She hardly ever wore hats. He headed outside, passing Church on the way. The cat was sleeping on a windowsill, opening one eye as Jem hurried past. Outside he was met by the heat of the sun even in the cold time of year, and shaded his eyes from the glare.

Tessa was outside of the gates already, and walking down the street. Grateful that she didn't turn around, Jem sprinted to the gate and opened it, slipping outside before closing it again.

For a moment, Tessa was lost in the crowd, but he quickly caught sight of her again, heading towards the bridge. Jem expertly slid through the crowds, ducking whenever he thought Tessa would look around. The bridge was a problem – it wasn't as crowded as the street, but if he was lucky he could cross on the opposite side of the road running across the Thames.

He could barely keep up with his fiancée as she wove through the streets of London, heading into the poorer parts of London.

After following her for almost an hour, Jem recognised the route. They'd gone the same way when Tessa went to meet Nate, pretending to be Jessamine. But why would she be going to the warehouse? _She's going to turn somewhere, and go to a hat shop_. He tried to convince himself. But she didn't. He watched in horror and confusion as she turned down an alley to the warehouses. There wouldn't be many places for Jem to hide there, as it was empty.

Instead, he took a parallel route on the busier side, counting the alleys he passed until he was sure he stood before the one that opened out to the space where the old tea warehouse was. He slowed, clutching his walking stick against him, the golden dragon head digging into his chest as he edged along the wall.

Although it was a bright day, the towering warehouses casted shadows that engulfed the alley in darkness, making Jem shiver. He pressed the button on his walking stick and held it close as the hidden blade was revealed, turning the whole thing into a sword. A few piled crates provided excellent cover. He watched through the crack between the crate and the wall, able to see the closed warehouse and the empty space outside.

He feared that he had the wrong warehouse, but Tessa suddenly came into view. She walked slowly, stopping in front of the warehouse door and turning a full circle. Frowning, she pushed open the warehouse door and stepped inside, no longer visible. Cursing under his breath, Jem crept forward, glancing around before reaching the door. He stood beside it, not wanting to risk been seen by peering in. Instead he listened closely. Only the echo of Tessa's gentle footsteps were to be heard.

"Ah, Miss Gray." A familiar voice bellowed. Jem heard her gasp, but no other footsteps. "So glad you could make it." Jem suddenly remembered who the voice belonged to – Mortmain. A shiver crept down his spine and he tensed, gripping his sword tightly.

"Yes, and now that I am here I want your spy to return the _yin fen_." Tessa demanded, her voice shaking slightly. So that was why Tessa had gone? In return for the _yin fen_? Jem couldn't believe it.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that. You did not follow through with your part." Mortmain said. He could hear the smirk in the Magister's voice.

"_What? _Of course I did! I am here, and I have not told anyone about it." Tessa insisted with desperation.

"That may be true, but I asked you to come alone." As if it were a cue, Jem was suddenly grabbed by two automatons, one of them snatching his sword and tossing it into the warehouse. Tessa gasped. Jem fought and kicked against the automatons, but they were half made of metal, and held him with an actual iron grip.

One of them kicked Jem's left leg, and he was sure he felt something _snap_. Pain shot through his leg and he yelled out, falling limp on one side.

Now unable to walk or run, the automatons dragged Jem inside, still holding his arms.

"Oh, Jem, no!" Tessa cried out in horror. She stood alone in the large space, his sword a metre away from her feet. On the walkway above stood a shadowed figure leaning over to watch, presumably Mortmain.

"Oh, well." He sighed. "I suppose I should just kill him."

"No!" Tessa shrieked. "Please, let him go!" Tears streamed down her pale face. Jem hated to see her cry.

"I suppose I can, as he's dying anyway. But let this be a lesson. I can kill any one of your little friends, at any time." He nodded to the automatons, who dropped Jem onto the hard floor. Before he could try and stand, the robots began to kick him, knocking the breath out of the young Shadowhunter.

"No! Stop, please, make them stop!" when there was no reply from Mortmain, Tessa swept the area with her eyes until she saw Jem's sword. Almost stumbling, she hurried over to it and lifted it, using all her strength. It was too heavy, and she could barely hold on. Ignoring Jem yelling for her not to, she brought the blade down against one of the automatons after she charged over to it. With a crude, gap-toothed smile it grabbed the blade mid-swing and snapped it in half, not caring as it sliced its own skin. It flung the pieces across the warehouse, almost _growling _at Tessa. She stepped back, holding back a scream. Still watching Tessa with a horrifying smile, the automaton lifted Jem up by the hair.

Her fiancé's face was bloody and bruised, and she was almost sure that his nose broke as the automaton blindly but accurately struck him across the face. Jem fell back, unconscious. One of the machines dragged his limp body outside, the other stood still, staring at Tessa with its bulging frog-eyes.

All she saw were those eyes and his crooked smirk as something hard hit her in the head, and the world went black.

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><p><strong>Action-packed chapter! Haha wow that was certainly a lot longer than the first chapter. I can't promise that every chapter will come as quickly as this one has, but reviews help! :) Suggestions and constructive criticism are welcome :)<strong>

**Oh, and this is the image I based Tessa's dress on:**

**./users/node/4955**


	3. Chapter Three

**Hi! Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter - they all included 'poor Jem!'. Haha well unfortunately there isn't a lot of Jem in this chapter. It's not the most interesting chapter, I must admit. Anyway, I hope you enjoy! :)**

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><p>Jem arrived back at the Institute a few hours after the attack.<p>

No one stopped to help him, and so he was forced to limp the entire journey back, clutching on to anything solid to keep himself from falling over. His nose ached and his leg burned, weighing him down. It was already the early afternoon when Jem collapsed on the Institute stairs, being found just moments later by Cyril.

"Mr Carstairs!" he rushed to help Jem up, supporting his weight. "What has happened to you?"

"Mortmain." He spat, relieved by the coolness inside the Institute. It was a much-needed break from the heat outside. Will, who had been pacing impatiently inside, went immediately to his parabati's aid.

"By the Angel." He nodded for Cyril to leave. "What were you doing?" Jem let out a bitter laugh.

"I followed Tessa. She walked all the way to that old tea warehouse, where Mortmain was waiting." He explained. "And his automatons." He added, glancing down at his battered body. Will went stiff beside him, but kept walking.

"Why would she go to the warehouse?" he demanded. Jem sighed.

"She made some sort of deal with him," Finally, they reached the Infirmary door. Will used his free hand to twist the handle, and found Cyril preparing one of the beds. "She went to him, in exchange for the return of my -" he paused, looking at Cyril. "Medication." Will was silent for a few moments, before cursing under his breath.

"Stupid girl!" he fumed. "I could have gotten it myself, without Mortmain's help." Jem shook his head.

"You could not have, Will," he said in a miserable voice. "The ifrits no longer sell it." Will helped Jem to lie down on one of the beds.

"So you approve of her little plan?" he sneered. Jem looked offended.

"Of course not! But all that is important right now is finding her." Will drew out his stele and carefully rolled up Jem's trousers on the left leg. With careful, slow strokes he drew an iratze – a healing rune – on his parabati's leg.

"There. You will be all patched up by tomorrow. As for your nose," Will grinned. "That can heal naturally." He began walking out of the Infirmary.

"Where are you going?" Jem called.

"I have to talk to Charlotte." Will replied without turning around. Jem sighed as Cyril also left, the door thudding closed behind him.

"I suppose I will have to wait, then."

. . .

A jolt woke Tessa, and her eyes snapped open.

She sat on a cushioned bench, leaning against the wall. It was a very small room, with an identical bench opposite her. On it sat Mortmain. She gasped at the sudden sight of him, her heart racing. After feeling another jolt, she realised that they were sitting in a carriage. It was dimly lit, and black curtains were pulled over the windows.

"Did you have a nice nap?" Mortmain smirked. Tessa sat upright, ignoring him and staring at the curtains. Hesitantly, she pulled them back to reveal what was outside of the carriage. It certainly wasn't London.

They were driving through some sort of forest, and it looked like it was night. Darkness filled the spaces that the looming trees left empty, and wild grass carpeted the ground. The carriage rolled on a thin dirt road, the end of it impossible to see from the window.

"Where are we?" Tessa demanded of Mortmain. She was no longer scared of him, but instead angry.

"Idris." He answered with a bored yawn. It took her several moments to remember what Idris was.

"_Idris? _But how? I thought only Shadowhunters could go there!"

"I have a very powerful warlock on my side." Mortmain explained. They were both silent for a few moments, Tessa staring out the window.

"Did you return the _yin fen_?" she asked quietly, not meeting his gaze.

"No." Mortmain said nonchalantly. Tessa turned on him.

"_What? _You must!" she cried. "That was our agreement!" She suddenly felt incredibly stupid for trusting that the Magister would actually do it.

"I do not care for our 'agreement'." He said uncaringly. Tessa felt tears well in her eyes. It was all for nothing. She had turned herself over to the enemy for _nothing_.

_I have to get out of here_. She thought suddenly. Moving her hand incredibly slowly, she checked her trouser pocket underneath her skirt. The dagger was still there. She almost sighed in relief, but held it back. Just as slowly, without Mortmain noticing, she took it out and held it tightly in her hand.

Tessa waited until he looked out of the window, and then leapt forward driving the dagger towards him. With almost inhuman reflexes he caught the blade, wrenching it from her grip and shoving her back in her seat.

"Young ladies should not carry knives around." Mortmain smiled, slipping the dagger into his pocket. "Now, if you try anything like that again, I will break your arms." Tessa could see that he wasn't bluffing, and sank back in her seat, shaking. It had been her new plan to kill Mortmain and run, as it was much easier for her to do it rather than the Clave.

But now that plan was ruined, her only weapon gone. She suddenly remembered her angel and was relieved to feel the soft ticking against her chest.

_New plan: Run. _

The door would most likely be locked, but she knew that the glass in the carriage windows were usually very thin and fragile. _If I can break through the window, I might be able to find the Nephilim. _They probably had a city somewhere in Idris, populated with Shadowhunters who would help her.

She couldn't wait any longer. As each second ticked by, they were getting closer and closer to their destination. Taking a deep breath, Tessa smashed her elbow against the glass. It cracked, spreading around the glass like a spider web. She stood immediately, pushing head-first against the glass. It gave way, and she tumbled onto the ground outside.

Remembering a training session with Gabriel, Tessa rolled to absorb the impact of the fall, but she still felt a few glass shards digging into her skin. A shout rose from Mortmain, and she looked behind the carriage to see hundreds of clockwork creatures. She held back a scream as several broke off from the marching army and ran towards her with robotic movements. Terrified, she began to sprint away from the road and into the forest, jumping over surfaced roots and bushes. She could hear the thumping footsteps of her pursuers and the _click _of their inner machinery, but kept running.

Tessa pulled up her skirts, clutching them tightly as she pumped her arms. She grew tired quickly, but knew that she could not stop. As she feared, the automatons did not tire. She didn't know where she was going, but continued in the same direction, hoping that she would emerge from the cold, dense forest.

It took a lot longer than she expected, but someone finally caught up to her. It wasn't an automaton – the young man's warm skin was enough to prove that. Tessa kicked and thrashed about in her captor's grip, but couldn't break free.

Suddenly, she remembered Cyril's lesson. He had been right – the skill would be very useful. With precision, she kicked at her attacker's knee-caps and smiled in triumph when she felt them stagger back. Unlike the practice sessions with Cyril, her captor did not release her.

Tessa squealed as she was knocked backwards, falling against the man behind her. He quickly regained his footing and his grip on her arms tightened, holding Tessa in place.

"Take her." The man barked to the automatons. His grip was suddenly replaced by cold, half-metal hands. A clockwork creature stood on either side of her, each holding an arm. Her whole body was shaking as they began to half-drag her back towards the road. Finally, she caught a glimpse of the man who had held her before.

"_Gabriel?_" she said, stumbling slightly from the shock as she saw him. Why was Gabriel working with Mortmain? His father, Benedict Lightwood, _was _helping the Magister, but only for the cure to his demon pox.

He didn't look at her, but it was clear that he heard. Gabriel hurried ahead of the automatons, and they followed as quickly as their mechanical legs could walk. They reached the road faster than Tessa had gotten away from it, where two carriages had stopped.

The army of clockwork men still stood stationary behind, and she came to a standstill when she saw the sheer number of automatons. At least one hundred were visible to Tessa, but more could stretch around the bend. She was sure that the Clave weren't expecting so many...They would never be prepared.

"Miss Gray." A voice snapped, bringing her out of her thoughts. Tessa turned to see Gabriel waiting by the open door of a carriage – it wasn't the same as the one she had broken out of. The two automatons released her arms, standing right behind her in case she decided to run again.

Without a sound, she stepped up into the carriage, sliding down on the bench inside. The interior was similar to that of her previous carriage, but far less luxurious. The benches had no cushions, and the doors were windowless. The only illumination came from a witchlight attached to the ceiling. Gabriel slammed the door behind her, leaving Tessa completely alone in the tiny room.

**. . .**

Axel Mortmain tapped his foot impatiently against the wooden floor of the carriage, glaring at the broken window.

It was very risky to be in Idris, especially with a death warrant on his head. If word got out that he was hiding in the realm that Shadowhunters had thought to be safe, everything would be chaos. Every centimetre of Idris would be searched until he was found and brought to justice.

Mortmain wasn't yet confident that his army would defeat the Shadowhunters. Automatons were still being made by his drugged workers, but his most important project was moving along with slow progress.

And as for the girl...She was the key to his success.

After about an hour of sitting impatiently, the carriage rolled to a stop. Mortmain opened his door and stepped out, pleased to see the mansion.

It had once belonged to Benedict Lightwood, but he had given it over to Mortmain and his automatons to do what they please. Under orders, they had dug out a series of chambers underneath the mansion, hiding the entrance. It was where the construction of his automatons would continue, and his project would hopefully be completed. It was also where young Tessa Gray would stay – for the rest of her life, if Mortmain's plan succeeded.

The manor stood three stories high, but there was much more below it. Vines captured half of the wall, winding around the windows. The redbrick house was closed off from the forest in which it hid by tall iron gates, surrounding the mansion completely. It was old and decaying, with a sole dead tree standing by the entrance.

The automatons slowly poured into the courtyard, lining up in neat rows as they had been trained. Gabriel Lightwood unlocked Tessa's carriage, and after a few moments she stepped out, looking around. She noticeably shuddered at the sight of the automatons, but followed Gabriel obediently, glancing at the gate as it shut. Two clockwork creatures stood guard, armed with swords.

She was guided into the manor, where she disappeared from Mortmain's sight. He didn't enter, but instead walked around the back of the mansion, to the edge of the fence that surrounded it. With his foot, Mortmain cleared the uprooted plants covering the small wooden hatch, and pulled it open. It was dark inside, but the witchlight in his pocket helped to illuminate the ladder as he climbed down, closing the hatch behind him. Inside was a small tunnel leading to the chambers underneath the mansion. He stopped at a door along the wall of the tunnel, opening it with a key.

Mortmain held up his stolen witchlight, placing it down on a small table by the door. He stood in a small room, the walls pure earth. On a stone slab on the floor a pentagram had been drawn, and various open books were scattered around it. His warlock had done well.

He found a clean silver knife on the table and lifted it to his wrist, slicing slowly and carefully into his own skin. He winced from the pain, turning his hand around so that the blood could drop onto the pentagram.

For a few moments, nothing happened. But suddenly, the blood on the floor began to boil, steam rising from it.

"_More!_" a voice rasped from inside of the pentagram, even though it was empty. Mortmain slashed across his own hand, letting the blood drip. He began to chant the words that his warlock had instructed, continuing the flow of blood into the circle. Finally, the air seemed to ripple and the blood rose into the air as a single, large blob. It spread out to make a human-like shape, seeming to have much more blood that Mortmain had given. He quickly withdrew his arm, snatching up a white cloth and wrapping it around his wrist and hand.

Smoke still clouded the circle, but he could see dark skin wrapping around the blood, turning it into a person. A woman. Long, dark hair fell down to her hips, and she wore a blood-red garment that Mortmain had no name for. Her fingertips ended in sharp claws, and her eyes were completely black.

"_Who dare summons the Mother?" _she hissed through pointed teeth. For a moment, Mortmain was terrified. If the demon did not help him, his plan would be ruined.  
>"I, Axel Mortmain. I have summoned you to offer an opportunity -"<p>

"_Human!_" the demon screeched. "_I should rip you apart right now, for awakening me. This pentagram cannot hold me!" _

"I am going to set you free!" Mortmain cried. "From the other dimension, where you have been trapped." The demon was silent for a moment.

"_You do not have that power! Worthless human." _She cackled.

"You are wrong! I have the Halfling, and as soon as the Binding ritual is complete I will have the power to release you." He yelled, almost desperately. "I want to destroy the Shadowhunters. _All _of them."

The demon paused. "_I shall aid you then, in their destruction. But once I am released, I am _free_._" Mortmain nodded.

"Thank you, great Lillith." He said. "I shall summon you again once the ritual is complete." With that, Lillith, mother of all demons, disappeared, and the blood splattered to the floor.

* * *

><p><strong>So a bit of Mortmain's POV there! :) So now you know a little bit of his plan. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please review! :)<strong>


	4. Chapter Four

**:) Thanks for the reviews! I'm making quicker progress on this than I usually do with stories. Enjoy!**

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><p>Magnus Bane paced impatiently on the grass outside of the Lightwood manor, waiting for Mortmain.<p>

When the man finally emerged from the hatch in the ground, the warlock quickly approached him.

"Did it work?" he demanded.

"Yes. Lillith has agreed to help." Mortmain answered. Magnus looked astounded. He had expected Lillith to kill Mortmain – but he was still very much alive, aside from the covered cuts on his arm.

"Wonderful." Magnus said sarcastically. "Now, if you would tell your little machines to let me through, I will be on my way." He pointed to the automatons standing guard at the gate. There were now two on either side.

"I do not think so. I can't have you telling the Shadowhunters where I am." Mortmain said, walking slowly back towards the manor. Magnus followed close behind, furious.

"You said that once I helped you to summon Lillith, you would let me leave!" he cried. Mortmain sighed.

"You can leave whenever you'd like – if you want her to die." He said. Magnus clenched his fist, trying not to kill Mortmain on the spot. If only he hadn't been threatening someone dear to the warlock...

"I will swear an oath of secrecy. And...I will return here whenever you call." He said grudgingly.

"Alright." Mortmain said nonchalantly, unlocking the door and stepping inside. He spun around to face Magnus suddenly, clutching a knife.

"Hold out your hand." He ordered. The warlock did so, tensing himself. Mortmain cut across his hand, then unwrapped his own bloody hand, pressing their cuts together.

Magnus spoke his oath quickly, and was glad that Mortmain accepted it. As soon as his hand was released, the flesh healed itself.

"Now _leave_." He ordered. Magnus stepped outside again, pleased with how quickly he had been able to earn his freedom. But there was one problem: He couldn't tell anyone where Mortmain was. But Magnus was clever – he would find a way.

Quietly, he opened a Portal. It took twice as long as normal as it had to be undetected by the Shadowhunters. With a destination in mind, he stepped through the door of swirling colours, hoping to land where he wanted.

**. . .**

Jem jumped as Magnus Bane appeared from thin air, tumbling onto the Infirmary floor. He quickly leapt up, straightening his trench coat. He frowned when he saw Jem.  
>"What on Earth happened to you?" he asked. Jem was about to answer, but Magnus waved a hand to stop him.<p>

"Never mind. That's not important. Is Will here?" Jem shook his head. "Charlotte? Henry?" It seemed that the young Shadowhunter was almost completely alone in the Institute.

"I really chose the wrong time to come, I suppose." Magnus sighed.

"I am here. What is it that you wanted to say?" Jem asked.

"I -" the warlock was cut off. By silence. He sighed impatiently. "I know where Mortmain is." Jem gasped.

"He has Tessa!" he cried. "Where is he? Tell me, now! Will and the others have just gone out to investigate the warehouse; they will be back any minute now."

"I am afraid that I cannot tell you." Magnus said.

"That is ridiculous! Magnus, _where is he?_"

"I swore an oath to him that I would not tell anyone his location. But I can help you find him." He explained sorrowfully. Jem looked furious, but began to cough. Magnus noticed a spot of blood on his sleeve.

"Why would you do that?" he demanded between coughs.

"He is threatening someone I care about." Magnus said in a clipped tone, showing that he wouldn't elaborate.

"Alright." Jem sighed, sitting up. "What can you tell me about where he is?" Magnus paused, thinking.

"The last place you would expect him to be." He said. "You would think it impossible for him to even get there."

Jem thought for a moment. "Antarctica?" he guessed. Magnus suppressed a laugh, shaking his head. He was glad that his next words could leave his mouth without behind stopped by the oath's magic.

"Only Shadowhunters go there." Jem still seemed lost.

"Must _I_ spell it out for you?" Magnus sighed impatiently. He hoped that Jem got the hint of the '_I'_.

"I...Idris – _Idris_!" the warlock smiled, unable to nod. "Idris is very large, Magnus. But I am sure once the Clave know they will find him."

"They had better do it fast – I am sure Mortmain will want to do the ritual as soon as possible, and you must find him before he does it." Magnus said worriedly.

"Ritual?" Jem looked confused. Quickly, the warlock explained. "By the Angel! You are right. We must inform Charlotte immediately."

**. . .**

Tessa glared at the ladder, glancing at Gabriel.

"Down _there_?" she said uneasily. He only nodded. Taking a deep breath, she stepped onto the ladder. It was secure, and didn't wobble under her foot. More confidently, she placed her other foot on the wood, holding the top rung with her hands. Gradually, she began to climb down, reaching the bottom and stepping down. She stood in what looked like a wine cellar. Wine racks were stacked around the large room. _Will I really be staying down here? _She thought.

Gabriel thumped down in half the time it took her, landing gracefully beside Tessa. He began walking across the cellar, and she uneasily followed. He stood behind one of the wine racks and placed his hands on it, as if he were going to push it.

_He cannot possibly move that! _Tessa thought in disbelief. But he did. Gabriel pushed the full rack forwards with ease, the bottles clanking. She could now see that the wood was different, probably lighter, and the wine bottles were empty. Tessa quickly walked around the moved rack to see a hole in the ground. It was quite large, but smaller than the base of the wine rack.

"Go down." Gabriel ordered, gesturing to the ladder. Frowning, she climbed down, going faster this time. The ladder was longer. Gabriel didn't follow, but instead reached down and held the top rung of the ladder, pulling it up with him. Tessa realised that he was taking away her only escape route, and looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Why are you helping Mortmain?" she demanded as he hauled out the end of the ladder, tossing it aside with a clatter. Gabriel glared down at her, though she could see the pain in his eyes. He looked...sympathetic.

"Because my father is." He answered quickly, walking away. He began to push the wine rack back over the hole, locking Tessa inside. Unexpectedly, she wasn't in darkness. She turned slowly to see a whole bedroom before her.

The floor was wood and the walls were chunky stone, windowless of course. There was no carpet on the floor, but the four-poster bed was very large, dominating the room. Along the walls she saw a small bookcase with a few novels, an empty desk, and a washstand. A table complete with a single chair was pushed into the corner, by what looked like a small dumbwaiter. It was open but empty.

The light came from a glowing stone hanging from the ceiling on a small chain. Tessa recognised it as a witchlight, the everlasting magical light-stones that the Shadowhunters used. She did not know how Mortmain had gotten a hold of it, but she assumed it was from the Lightwoods.

With a sigh, Tessa sat down at the desk, putting her face in her hands. She didn't cry, but tried to be brave. She pulled her angel out from underneath her dress, running her thumb over it. _Tick, tick, tick, tick_.

She whispered to it, "If only you could bring me out of here."

**. . .**

Cecily Herondale crept down the Institute hallway, clutching her satchel tightly.

Mortmain had ordered her not to give back the _yin fen_, but she just couldn't let her brother's best friend die. He still had two weeks until he ran out, but the guilt was weighing Cecily down. Luckily, James Carstairs was in the Infirmary. Just in case he wasn't, she sneaked down to the Infirmary, edging along the wall.

She heard voices through the thin walls, and peered through the crack in the blinds over the window on the door. Inside she saw Jem, still laying on his bed. He was talking to someone that Cecily couldn't quite see.

"...ritual...immortality..." she picked out a few words from their conversation, but couldn't make sense of them. Assured that Jem wouldn't be up and walking for a long time, she hurried down the hallway, forgetting to move quietly.

"What was that?" she heard an unfamiliar voice say. Swallowing, Cecily began to sprint, heading for Jem's room. It was unlocked, and she stepped inside, closing the door gently behind her. Just to be safe, she turned the key to lock it. She heard no footsteps following, and confidently strode up to the box where Jem kept his drug.

The pouch was still there, but it had been opened. Working quickly, Cecily dug out a significantly larger pouch, dropping it in the box. That was all of it. She closed the box gently and crept across the room again, unlocking the door. She opened it just a crack, and found the eyes of a cat staring back at her.

Cecily almost had a heart attack, expecting Magnus Bane, the warlock. But it was just a normal cat – if normal meant violent. She quickly stepped out, shutting the door behind her. Church began to hiss at her malevolently. She tries to shush the cat, but it only grew louder. Biting her lip, she lifted up the fat animal and carried it with one hand to the open window across the hall.

Hoping it would never come back, she pushed it out. She knew the cat wouldn't get hurt by the fall – she was on the ground floor. With a meow, Church scurried off into the night.

Releasing a breath, Cecily walked down the hall towards the Infirmary, not bothering to be quiet. She reached it quickly, noting that the Institute was quite small. Opening the door, she stepped in, catching the last snippets of Jem's conversation.

"-Tessa – Idris. Mortmain -" it was Magnus who spoke, but he stopped as soon as Cecily entered. She looked from Magnus to Jem.

"Jem!" she pretended to be startled. "Are you alright?" He smiled faintly.

"Aside from a few broken bones – yes. I ran into some of Mortmain's automatons." He explained.

"I heard." Cecily nodded. "Any word from Will and the others?" she asked, almost hopefully. Jem shook his head.

"They have yet to return."

Cecily turned to Magnus Bane, smiling. "I do not think we have met. My name is Cecily Herondale." The warlock introduced himself, although Cecily already knew very well who he was. He had been the one to help Mortmain with his pentagram. Cecily didn't know what demon he was summoning, but knew it was bad.

Footsteps suddenly became audible out in the hallway, and Cecily heard her brother's voice. Just as she was going to step out to meet them, Will, Charlotte, Henry, and Gideon walked into the Infirmary, looking almost disappointed.

"Did you find anything?" Jem asked hopefully.

"No." Charlotte answered. She held up the two pieces of Jem's walking stick, currently in its sword form.

"I will have it fixed by the end of the week." Henry smiled, taking the pieces from his wife.

Will finally noticed Magnus.

"Magnus?" he was startled. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to warn you all." The warlock said in a serene tone. "Mortmain is in -" he stopped, choking on his words.

"Idris." Jem finished. He then explained what Magnus had told him about Mortmain's plan for Tessa. Cecily tensed; astounded that Mortmain had let the warlock leave with this knowledge.

Magnus quickly explained the oaths that he had sworn, and why.

"Who was he threatening?" Will asked. Magnus waved away the question.

"Someone." He dismissed it. "Mortmain needs a warlock for the binding ritual, so I assume he will call on me when the time comes."

"And we will follow you right to him..." Will said, his eyes alight.

"But you must gather other Shadowhunters to aid you – he has an army already. And -" his eyes flashed to Gideon, who had been silent the whole time. "Benedict and Gabriel Lightwood are with him."

Gideon swore at Mortmain. "If he hurts my brother -"

"No, Mr Lightwood. Your father and brother are _working _with him."

**. . .**

Tessa did not know the time, but she was exhausted.

When she had last been outside, it was night, meaning that it would probably be very late now. Tessa closed the novel she was reading – it was something she had taken from the shelves randomly and had not enjoyed. Yawning, she made her way to the bed, sitting on the edge. She didn't remember when exactly she fell asleep, but remembered her dream clearly.

_An angel descended from the skies, surrounded by an aura of golden light. Tessa was lying still on the grass by the side of a lake, Jem kneeling beside her. His eyes were filled with tears and he clutched her limp hand tightly. Tessa could not hear what he said to the angel, but a few minutes later the angel outstretched his hand, pointing towards Tessa's lifeless body. Golden light shot from his fingertips, seeming to seep into Tessa. She slowly began to breathe again, and opened her eyes. Jem smiled, whispering something to her, before collapsing beside her. _

Tessa woke suddenly, at the sound of creaking wood. She rubbed her eyes and stood, realising that she still wore the same dress. It was wrinkled from sleeping in it, but Tessa didn't care. She touched her angel at her neck, relieved that it was still there.

_What an odd dream_, she thought idly. Suddenly, she heard a soft _thump_ and immediately stood, noticing that she also still wore her boots. Her hair had come undone and hung down limply on her shoulders. Tessa walked slowly to the large niche where the exit was. The ladder had been brought down, and the wine rack moved. Gabriel leaned over the edge, surprised to see her waiting for him.

"Come, Miss Gray. It is time for the Ritual."

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><p><strong>So what have we learned today? :) Magnus is working with Mortmain, but who is he threatening? Cecily is the spy, but why? (hehe that rhymes) And what on Earth is the Ritual? Something to do with immortality, did you say? I guess you'll have to wait and find out... (And what's up with that dream?)<strong>

**Hope you enjoyed, please review! :)**


	5. Chapter Five

**Hi! I'm terribly sorry for the long wait, but I've found a new writing website that I've been really caught up in. It's amazing! You may have already heard of it, but I'm a bit of a newbie :P It's called wattpad. My username on it is LaurenSy. **

**So again, sorry for the break, and here's the chapter! :)**

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><p><strong>Chapter Five<strong>

Tessa was led out of the Lightwood manor and around the back, where an open hatch was visible in the wet grass. Two automatons stood guard by the hole, staring at Tessa with their large, bulging eyes. They were dressed in clothes similar to the Shadowhunters' gear and armed with menacing swords.

Tessa had always wondered why the Nephilim and Downworlders didn't use more modern weapons, like rifles, but she suspected that they had a good reason for it.

Suddenly Gabriel grabbed her upper arm tightly, more wary now that they were outside. Tessa trudged across the muddy grass, her mind bursting with questions. What was this strange Ritual? There was no time to ask as Gabriel ordered her to climb down the ladder. Hesitantly, she did, looking up and expecting him to follow. He didn't. The iron hatch slammed closed above her, making her jump.

Tessa spun around, looking at a narrow corridor. Doors were nestled in the walls, all closed. She stood for a few moments, unsure of where to go. The last door opened, and Mortmain stepped out. She steeled herself, not wanting to show him her fear.

The Magister approached Tessa without a word, gripping her arm and pulling her with haste back towards the room he had emerged from. His green eyes shone with – excitement? It made her more curious as to what he was about to do. Neither spoke a word as they entered the small room.

The floor was covered with a small carpet, but it still showed some chalk markings on the stone floor. From what Tessa could see, it looked like a pentagram. But why would Mortmain be summoning demons? Her attention snapped to another man standing in the room. He would have been completely normal – if his skin wasn't blue. As far as Tessa could see, the entire surface of his skin was blue, and dark blue tattoos swirled across his arms and face. His lips were darker that his skin, barely standing out. His hair was completely black, long and tied loosely behind him. He wore a white shirt underneath a waistcoat, his jacket sat on a table behind him. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing blue hands with more tattoos.

"Has everything been prepared?" Mortmain asked. The blue man nodded, eyeing Tessa warily.

"Yes. Shall we proceed?" he said. Mortmain confirmed.

"Wait – what is this 'Ritual'?" Tessa demanded, looking back and forth between the two men. The blue man – who Tessa now assumed to be a warlock – looked surprised that she did not know.  
>"Shut up." Mortmain snapped. "Errion, get on with it." Tessa glanced at the door, wondering if it would be possible to get past the Magister and the warlock – and escape from the automaton-filled manor.<p>

_Impossible_. Mortmain was still gripping her arm tightly, and she knew it wouldn't be easy to break his hold. Reluctantly, she stayed silent, waiting for an opportunity.

Errion turned to the old wooden table behind him, picking up a book Tessa knew she had seen before at the Institute. _The Book of White_. She froze. Mortmain having it was extremely bad – even as a human, the Book of White would give him access to dangerous magic.

Tessa's attention snapped back to the warlock as he began to speak softly, in a language unknown to her. He slowly began to walk in a circle around Tessa and Mortmain, his fingers drawing an imaginary line as he chanted. Once he had made a full circle, he returned to his original spot, still holding the open book in one hand. He flicked his free hand upwards, and suddenly a light purple ring formed around Mortmain and Tessa, exactly where Errion had drawn it. It grew into a translucent wall, trapping them inside the cylinder. Mortmain released Tessa, and she rubbed her arm.

Through the purple wall, she could only see the outline of Errion, but his words were clear.

"Miss Gray," he said in a polite tone. "Please repeat my words." Slowly, he spoke exactly six words. Tessa kept her lips sealed tight, refusing to speak.

"Miss Gray?" the warlock asked after waiting a few moments, lowering the Book of White. She stayed silent, edging away from Mortmain. Her fingers brushed the purple wall, and she was surprised to find that her fingers touched cool air beyond the circle. Small ripples spread from where she placed her fingers, as if the wall was made of water. Mortmain reached out and grabbed her shoulder again, noticing the ripples spreading across the wall. He pulled Tessa away from the wall, digging his nails into her skin.

"Say the words!" he hissed between clenched teeth. She shook her head.

"No." She glared at Mortmain. "I refuse. I know nothing of this 'Ritual', and if it helps you I want no part in it." She winced at the pain in her shoulder as the older man gripped her more tightly.

"I have waited long enough for this!" he yelled. "You _will _cooperate." Just as Tessa was about to reply, he raised his fist and struck her across the face, jolting her backwards with a burst of pain. His firm grip on her shoulder ensured that she stayed standing, but she wobbled on her feet, hands covering her bruising cheek. Mortmain's sharp knuckles had hit her teeth, but nothing was chipped. She began to shake, her attempts at being brave disintegrating. But to Errion's prompt for speech, she stayed silent, swallowing hard and holding back tears.

This only infuriated the impatient Magister more and he lashed out again, this time knocking her off her feet with a blow to the stomach. Tessa felt the breath escape from her lungs as Mortmain released her and she hit the ground, gasping for air. Tears welled in her eyes from the pain in her stomach but she held her silence, struggling to stand without touching the purple wall. Mortmain waited beside her, his fists clenched. Errion slowly repeated the six words, standing patiently.

Tessa took a deep breath – and didn't say anything. Less than a minute of silence passed.

"You know, I really thought this would be easier." Mortmain mused, rolling up his white sleeves. Gasping, Tessa jumped back just as he swiped at her with his fist, barely missing her nose. Half of her body was outside of the circle. Not waiting for Mortmain to cast another blow, she stepped out of the circle, a little disoriented. She quickly found her bearings – just as her throat closed.

Her hand flew to her neck as she found herself unable to breath. It was as if her windpipe was being crushed, allowing no air in or out. Suddenly an arm reached out of the purple circle, grabbing her and pulling her back inside.

She took a deep breath, the block in her windpipe disappearing. But inside the circle she found a much greater pain from Mortmain as he delivered another blow to her cheek. She had no chance to escape as his attacks rained down on her, leaving her curled up on the floor, bloody and beaten, only a few minutes later.

Errion seemed unaffected by what he had witnessed, and repeated the words for Tessa. In a broken, barely audible voice she repeated them.

"_Testora i-immortales animia...miea tibius dominum_." As she spoke, the purple circle glowed brighter. Errion then instructed Mortmain to speak several words.

"_Immortalitatis accipiamus vosi ad meipsium._" He said with a smirk. The circle glowed even brighter, and Tessa shaded her eyes. She could still see the ring closing in on her and Mortmain, and shivered when it touched her. She was suddenly very cold, and began to shake uncontrollably.

A physical tug at her chest led her to see a thick purple cord jutting from where her heart was, leading to Mortmain. Tessa screamed as something invisible wrenched her chest up, arching her back. The Magister was also affected, staggering back a few steps. The cord flashed red for a moment, and disappeared.

Tessa's back dropped to the floor, and she felt her remaining energy diminish. She felt as if a part of her had been ripped out. _No! _She thought desperately. _This cannot be how I die! _But there was no time to fight it as the darkness overcame her.

**. . .**

Magnus froze just outside the Institute, his hand poised to knock.

_I summon you, Magnus Bane_. The words rang in his head, calling him. With difficulty, he entered the Institute, hauling the huge iron doors open and closed behind him. He headed straight into the drawing room, where he knew Charlotte would be this time of day.

"Magnus?" she frowned, facing the warlock as he entered the room. "How did you -"

"That is not important." He snapped. "We must hurry. Mortmain has just – contacted me." He explained. Charlotte nodded, her eyes wide.

"But it is too soon! The Shadowhunters are due to arrive here today, but not until late." She said, collecting several scattered papers from her desk and sliding them neatly into a drawer.

"We cannot wait for them. Gather who you have here, and we shall depart." Magnus ordered her, resulting in Charlotte's annoyed expression. Reluctantly she complied, striding out of the room with the warlock close behind. Her footsteps echoed down the brightly-lit hallway as she walked to Jem's room, closest to the drawing room. He had recovered after extra _iratze_s but was staying in his room. As soon as Charlotte explained the situation, he headed off to fetch Will and Cecily.

"And Gideon?" Magnus asked, pacing back and forth. He fought the power that was almost forcing him to go to Idris. "Will he be joining us?" To that Charlotte quickly made her way to the eldest Lightwood boy's room and knocked twice on the thick door, waiting patiently. She heard heavy breathing inside.

The door opened only a minute later, Gideon standing before them. He wore a loose shirt and trousers with no shoes, his hair was tousled and tangled, and his cheeks were flushed. By the way he held the door so that Charlotte could not see inside gave her a vague idea of what he'd been doing.

"We have found Mortmain. We need to leave as soon as possible, will you be able to come?" Magnus asked before she could take a breath, tapping his foot impatiently. Gideon blinked twice before answering.

"I...Ah, yes, of course. I shall be out in a few minutes." He said quickly, closing the door with a polite smile. Charlotte frowned, hearing a whisper from inside. She could almost swear she heard Sophie's voice.

Five minutes later Charlotte, Magnus, Henry, Will, Jem, Gideon, and Cecily were dressed in their gear and standing outside of the Institute doors, standing aside as Magnus summoned a Portal.  
>The silver doorway seemed to rise from the earth, unseen through the Glamour cast upon the humans passing the Institute on the street. Pictures of different places and people flashed in a swirl of colours. Magnus spoke a few words expertly and soon had it open, gesturing for the Shadowhunters to come.<p>

"I had better go first. The Portal is out of sight, but inside the gates. I will not be able to tell you if it is clear or not, so wait a few minutes before entering." Without another word he stepped into the Portal, disappearing completely. There was no image betraying where the warlock had ended up, but the Shadowhunters had to trust that he had conducted the spell correctly.

Obediently, the Nephilim waited several minutes in silence, before Will stepped forward impatiently.  
>"It has been long enough," he said, drawing a seraph blade from his waist. "We should go through." Jem nodded, unsheathing his own blade. Henry had not yet repaired his staff, much to his disappointment. But like every other Shadowhunter, he could use a seraph blade.<p>

"I agree. Mortmain could close the Portal from the other side if we do not hurry." He said. Reluctantly, Charlotte drew a weapon, her eyes glancing nervously at the gates.

"I really do think we should wait for the other Shadowhunters. We cannot face him alone, especially if he has been building an army." She insisted, looking to Henry for help. Cecily spoke up, having been silent for a long time.

"But we have the advantage of surprise. He will not expect us, so he will not be prepared." She said with a small smile. Jem turned to look at her, and frowned at her half-sad expression. It was obvious that she was trying to hide it, but it looked like there was _guilt_ in her eyes. _But what has she to be guilty about? _He wondered. She couldn't possibly be the spy – not someone so young.

_But Jessamine was a spy..._He shook the thought out of his mind. It was ridiculous – accusing her of being a spy after a single glance.

"Jem?" Will's voice snapped him back to the moment, where everyone was already poised and ready to enter, blades drawn.

"Sorry. Let's go." He stood beside his _parabati_, the two sharing a trusting look before stepping into the swirl of colours, clutching their seraph blades.

Will had travelled through Portals before, but nothing prepared him for the pain that attacked his head. He cried out in pain, but the noise was drowned out by rushing air as he exited the Portal into Idris. He opened his eyes just as he slammed to the grass below, the force of the fall sending a jolt of pain through his entire body. His seraph blade had rolled out of his hand and lay a few feet away, under the boot of someone. Wincing from the pain, Will jumped up, facing whoever stood before him. He was relieved to see Jem picking up the blade and holding it out.

"Thank you." He said, taking it and gripping it tightly. He brushed mud off his gear, and was surprised to see that Jem was not hurt at all.

"How on Earth are you not sprawled out in the mud? Unless you are a cat, you can't have landed on your feet." He said.

"I exited on the ground, actually. I am not sure why you were launched so high up." He shrugged, turning around.

A few seconds later, Henry and Gideon emerged in a flash of light, stumbling slightly but stepping out onto solid ground. Will found himself dumbstruck as Cecily and Charlotte both came after them, none enduring the fall that he had.

He quickly shook it off as the group examined their surroundings. It was daytime in Idris, and the sun blazed down on wet grass. Behind them was a tall wall guarding the large manor that stood in the centre of the area. Gideon recognised it as his family's estate. There was no one in sight, the place standing in eerie silence.

Quietly, Will and Jem split off from the group – to Henry's hushed protest – and walked around the perimeter, spotting no automatons. When they returned to the other Shadowhunters, Gideon was fumbling in a flowerbed by a backdoor almost completely covered in vines. Just as Will was about to ask what he was doing, he produced a key from the dying plants.

"Are you ready?" he asked everyone.

"Yes. We did not spot anyone, but the blinds have been drawn inside." Jem said. Everyone – save Cecily – spoke the name of an angel, and their blades glowed brilliantly, all different colours. Henry, however, had pressed a button on the hilt of his sword, coating the blade with some sort of moving blue colour.

"Don't look at me like that." He said crossly. "Just be glad it did not explode." With an exasperated sigh, Charlotte took the key from Gideon and slid it into the keyhole, turning it slowly. There was a satisfying _click_ and she turned the doorknob slowly, pushing the old creaking door open fully. Gesturing for the others to follow, Charlotte stepped inside the small room, glancing around warily. A few rusty coat hangers were mounted to the wall, concealed by mounds of grey clothing. The walls were covered with white paint, peeling at the top from where water leaked down. A sole wooden door was mounted in the far wall across the room.

"Mr Bane?" Cecily called very loudly. Will whirled to her with a furious glare, clamping a hand over her mouth.

"_Be quiet!_" he mouthed. Cecily nodded, her eyes watching the door expectantly. Her brother slowly released her, turning back to Charlotte. She nodded at the door and walked swiftly up to it, placing a hand on the knob.

She didn't get a chance to turn it, however, as it burst open in front of her. The trained Shadowhunter stumbled back a few steps before regaining her balance, whipping her seraph blade forward to face her opponent. Will and Jem were close behind, taking up defensive stances. They were shocked to say the least when Gabriel burst into the room, held in front of a large, expressionless automaton.

Their attacks were halted when they saw the tight grip the automaton had around Gabriel's neck, choking him. The youngest Lightwood boy struggled to breath, writhing and struggling in the clockwork man's grip.

"Hand over your weapons." He said in a slow, mechanical voice. Each time he opened his mouth, a very quiet ticking noise could be heard, barely over Gabriel's choking noises.

Cecily immediately dropped her seraph blade, gently kicking it over to the automaton's feet.

"_Cecily_!" Will hissed. "What are you doing?" He turned to see Gideon also lowering his sword slowly, but not yet sliding it over to the clockwork creature.

"He will kill Gabriel!" Cecily said in a desperate tone that sounded rehearsed.

"Why should we help him? He is probably on Mortmain's side." Jem insisted, although hesitation was clear in his voice.

Charlotte's seraph blade clattered to the floor, as did Henry's. Will glanced at them in disbelief. He didn't understand why they were giving up so easily. He returned his hard gaze to Gabriel, who looked uncomfortable but not in pain. That's when he noticed.

The automaton wasn't actually suffocating Gabriel. His hand was around the Nephilim's throat, but gently. He was barely applying any pressure, as Will could see after further inspection. That meant that Gabriel was faking.

After making a quick, mental decision, Will brought his blade to the wooden floor, stepping forward subtly as he set it down. Just when he should have stepped back, he swung the sword up suddenly, stepping to the side of Gabriel to stab the automaton in his side. The youngest Lightwood boy was immediately released, but instead of running he scooped up Cecily's blade, pointing it at Will.

Will had obviously struck something important inside the clockwork creature, as it was now jerking on the floor, making strange noises that sounded like a jammed machine. He yanked his sword out, bringing it up to meet Gabriel's before it could crash down on his chest.

Luckily, Will's companions understood that Gabriel was now the threat and hastily tried to retrieve their weapons, but the two young Shadowhunters were blocking them, dancing gracefully around the small space in swordplay.

Somehow, Gabriel managed to knock away Will's blade, pointing his own at the defenceless Shadowhunter.

The blade plunged into a chest – but it wasn't Will's.

Gideon staggered backwards, sagging into the Herondale boy's arms, his hands weakly flailing at the seraph blade in his heart.

"Gideon!" Gabriel cried, sinking to his knees. "No – I never meant to hurt you!" Will crouched, putting Gideon's head on his lap. Jem sat on the other side of the dying man, clutching his hand.

Sobs immediately erupted from Charlotte, and tears flowed freely from Gabriel's wide eyes.

Gideon's breathing was shallow, but he used it to utter his last words. He didn't meet the gaze of his brother, but instead looked up at Will and Jem, desperation in his eyes.

"Tell Sophie – I love her."

* * *

><p><strong>Yup. I killed Gideon XD. It wasn't part of my original plan, but I was writing this and I was like 'ohh what the heck, why not'. Sorry Gideon! <strong>

**Bit of a cheesy ending :P Don't worry, Will will point that out eventually. :) Sorry if it didn't meet standards, as I know I could have read through it and changed some things, but I hope you enjoyed it the way it was.**

**Please tell me what you think - review! :D**

**(By the way, I intend to post the next chapter before Sunday, so hopefully there won't be any more long breaks!)**


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